An Evening for Autism,

About the event

An Evening for Autism is the premiere fundraising event for two local non-profit charities – Answers for Autism and Talk About Curing Autism.

Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating, empowering and supporting families affected by autism. For families who have just received the autism diagnosis, TACA aims to speed up the cycle time from the autism diagnosis to effective treatments. TACA helps to strengthen the autism community by connecting families and the professionals who can help them, allowing them to share stories and information to help improve the quality of life for people with autism. TACA provides families with hope when often they feel there is none.

Answers for Autism provides grants that have included programs that have helped non-verbal children learn how to communicate. Kids have experienced the joy of summer camps that would never have been possible without the special services funded. Local school districts have received funding to provide social skills training and adaptive equipment for classrooms. And Indiana police and fire departments have been able to obtain training and provide services to help keep our kids safe through Project Lifesaver.

Why should you sponsor?

The proceeds from An Evening for Autism go to support much needed support and services to individuals and families affected by autism. Sponsors are recognized and highlighted for the upcoming year by both benefiting organizations.

Karla Elliott

Just seven short years ago (although sometimes it does seem like a lifetime ago), my husband and I received the news that our youngest son, Sam, has autism. I can’t even begin to tell you how difficult that day, and so many days that followed, were for us. But it wasn’t long after the diagnosis that I was introduced to an organization – Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) that helped us far more than we ever could have imagined.

It makes me almost speechless to look back and see everything that TACA has done for my family and I – and, most importantly, Sam – since Sam’s diagnosis. We met a fabulous doctor (and then more than one) that’s helped us with Sam’s medical treatments. We learned about, and have been able to implement, several therapies that have helped him speak, play, make friends, and thrive in a mainstream classroom. We’ve attended numerous conferences to learn about the latest research and developments in autism prevention and treatment. We’ve made the most incredible friends that walk beside us every single day in this journey. And, most of all, we’ve learned that there is always have hope. Today, I volunteer in by co-coordinating TACA’s efforts here in Indiana to help other families find that hope.

When I began working on the first An Evening for Autism more than five years ago, I was equally amazed at the work that Answers for Autism has done in the community. Through their grant program, non-verbal children have learned how to communicate. Kids have experienced the joy of summer camps that would never have been possible without the special services funded. Local school districts have received funding to provide social skills training and adaptive equipment for classrooms. And Indiana police and fire departments have been able to obtain training and provide services to help keep our kids safe through Project Lifesaver.

All these things? They just scratch the surface of what our organizations do for community. But – we are entirely volunteer based and obtain funding only through the efforts of our volunteers. And our Fourth Annual An Evening for Autism provides the most significant opportunity to raise those much-needed dollars – and to invite our friends and supporters to enjoy a wonderful evening with our teams in the process!